diff --git a/modules/spin-tools/src-tests/com/maccasoft/propeller/internal/UtilsTest.java b/modules/spin-tools/src-tests/com/maccasoft/propeller/internal/UtilsTest.java
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8b0fd5d6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/spin-tools/src-tests/com/maccasoft/propeller/internal/UtilsTest.java
@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (c) 2021-24 Marco Maccaferri and others.
+ * All rights reserved. This program and the accompanying materials
+ * are made available under the terms of the Eclipse Public License v1.0
+ * which accompanies this distribution, and is available at
+ * http://www.eclipse.org/legal/epl-v10.html
+ *
+ * Contributors:
+ *     Marco Maccaferri - initial API and implementation
+ */
+
+package com.maccasoft.propeller.internal;
+
+import org.junit.jupiter.api.Assertions;
+import org.junit.jupiter.api.Test;
+
+class UtilsTest {
+
+    @Test
+    void testSimplePattern() {
+        String subject = "" +
+            "a\n" +
+            "a\n" +
+            "|\n" +
+            "a\n" +
+            " \n" +
+            "|\n" +
+            "a\n" +
+            "";
+        Assertions.assertEquals("%01_0100", Utils.makeSkipPattern(subject));
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    void testSkipMultipleSpaces() {
+        String subject = "" +
+            "a\n" +
+            "a\n" +
+            "|\n" +
+            "a\n" +
+            " \n" +
+            " \n" +
+            " \n" +
+            "|\n" +
+            "a\n" +
+            "";
+        Assertions.assertEquals("%01_0100", Utils.makeSkipPattern(subject));
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    void testSkipLeadingAndTrailingSpaces() {
+        String subject = "" +
+            " \n" +
+            " \n" +
+            "a\n" +
+            "a\n" +
+            "|\n" +
+            "a\n" +
+            " \n" +
+            "|\n" +
+            "a\n" +
+            " \n" +
+            " \n" +
+            "";
+        Assertions.assertEquals("%01_0100", Utils.makeSkipPattern(subject));
+    }
+
+}
diff --git a/modules/spin-tools/src/com/maccasoft/propeller/SourceEditor.java b/modules/spin-tools/src/com/maccasoft/propeller/SourceEditor.java
index bf7201b6..50988788 100644
--- a/modules/spin-tools/src/com/maccasoft/propeller/SourceEditor.java
+++ b/modules/spin-tools/src/com/maccasoft/propeller/SourceEditor.java
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@
 import org.apache.commons.lang3.StringUtils;
 import org.eclipse.core.runtime.ListenerList;
 import org.eclipse.jface.bindings.keys.KeyStroke;
+import org.eclipse.jface.dialogs.MessageDialog;
 import org.eclipse.jface.fieldassist.IContentProposal;
 import org.eclipse.jface.fieldassist.IContentProposalProvider;
 import org.eclipse.jface.resource.JFaceResources;
@@ -41,6 +42,9 @@
 import org.eclipse.swt.custom.TextChangedEvent;
 import org.eclipse.swt.custom.TextChangingEvent;
 import org.eclipse.swt.custom.VerifyKeyListener;
+import org.eclipse.swt.dnd.Clipboard;
+import org.eclipse.swt.dnd.TextTransfer;
+import org.eclipse.swt.dnd.Transfer;
 import org.eclipse.swt.events.DisposeEvent;
 import org.eclipse.swt.events.DisposeListener;
 import org.eclipse.swt.events.FocusAdapter;
@@ -90,6 +94,7 @@
 import com.maccasoft.propeller.internal.HTMLStyledTextDecorator;
 import com.maccasoft.propeller.internal.IContentProposalListener2;
 import com.maccasoft.propeller.internal.StyledTextContentAdapter;
+import com.maccasoft.propeller.internal.Utils;
 import com.maccasoft.propeller.model.ConstantNode;
 import com.maccasoft.propeller.model.ConstantsNode;
 import com.maccasoft.propeller.model.DataLineNode;
@@ -2581,4 +2586,28 @@ public void setIndentLinesForeground(Color color) {
         styledText.redraw();
     }
 
+    public void makeSkipPattern() {
+        String text = styledText.getSelectionText();
+        String pattern = Utils.makeSkipPattern(text);
+
+        if (pattern.length() == 0) {
+            MessageDialog.openWarning(styledText.getShell(), SpinTools.APP_TITLE, "No pattern detected");
+            return;
+        }
+
+        Clipboard clipboard = new Clipboard(display);
+        try {
+            clipboard.setContents(new Object[] {
+                pattern,
+            }, new Transfer[] {
+                TextTransfer.getInstance(),
+            });
+        } catch (Exception ex) {
+            ex.printStackTrace();
+        }
+        clipboard.dispose();
+
+        MessageDialog.openInformation(styledText.getShell(), SpinTools.APP_TITLE, "Skip pattern copied to clipboard:" + styledText.getLineDelimiter() + styledText.getLineDelimiter() + pattern);
+    }
+
 }
diff --git a/modules/spin-tools/src/com/maccasoft/propeller/SpinTools.java b/modules/spin-tools/src/com/maccasoft/propeller/SpinTools.java
index 773b97b6..12c380da 100644
--- a/modules/spin-tools/src/com/maccasoft/propeller/SpinTools.java
+++ b/modules/spin-tools/src/com/maccasoft/propeller/SpinTools.java
@@ -2300,6 +2300,22 @@ public void handleEvent(Event e) {
             }
         });
 
+        item = new MenuItem(menu, SWT.PUSH);
+        item.setText("Make skip pattern\tShift+Alt+P");
+        item.setAccelerator(SWT.MOD2 + SWT.MOD3 + 'P');
+        item.addListener(SWT.Selection, new Listener() {
+
+            @Override
+            public void handleEvent(Event e) {
+                CTabItem tabItem = tabFolder.getSelection();
+                if (tabItem == null) {
+                    return;
+                }
+                EditorTab editorTab = (EditorTab) tabItem.getData();
+                editorTab.getEditor().makeSkipPattern();
+            }
+        });
+
         new MenuItem(menu, SWT.SEPARATOR);
 
         item = new MenuItem(menu, SWT.PUSH);
diff --git a/modules/spin-tools/src/com/maccasoft/propeller/internal/Utils.java b/modules/spin-tools/src/com/maccasoft/propeller/internal/Utils.java
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..3b395065
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/spin-tools/src/com/maccasoft/propeller/internal/Utils.java
@@ -0,0 +1,65 @@
+/*
+ * Copyright (c) 2021-24 Marco Maccaferri and others.
+ * All rights reserved. This program and the accompanying materials
+ * are made available under the terms of the Eclipse Public License v1.0
+ * which accompanies this distribution, and is available at
+ * http://www.eclipse.org/legal/epl-v10.html
+ *
+ * Contributors:
+ *     Marco Maccaferri - initial API and implementation
+ */
+
+package com.maccasoft.propeller.internal;
+
+public class Utils {
+
+    public static String makeSkipPattern(String text) {
+        StringBuilder pattern = new StringBuilder();
+
+        String[] s = text.split(FileUtils.EOL_PATTERN);
+
+        char target = 0;
+        for (int i = 0; i < s.length; i++) {
+            if (s[i].length() < 1) {
+                if (pattern.length() == 0 || pattern.charAt(0) != '_') {
+                    pattern.insert(0, '_');
+                }
+                continue;
+            }
+            char ch = s[i].charAt(0);
+            if (ch == '-' || ch == '_') {
+                pattern.insert(0, ch);
+            }
+            else if (ch == '|') {
+                pattern.insert(0, '1');
+            }
+            else {
+                if (target == 0) {
+                    if (ch == ' ') {
+                        continue;
+                    }
+                    target = ch;
+                }
+                if (ch == target) {
+                    pattern.insert(0, '0');
+                }
+                else {
+                    if (pattern.length() == 0 || pattern.charAt(0) != '_') {
+                        pattern.insert(0, '_');
+                    }
+                }
+            }
+        }
+
+        while (pattern.length() >= 1 && pattern.charAt(0) == '_') {
+            pattern.deleteCharAt(0);
+        }
+
+        if (pattern.length() > 0) {
+            pattern.insert(0, '%');
+        }
+
+        return pattern.toString();
+    }
+
+}